Yorkshire independent hosts transport minister

Transport Minister Andrew Jones has visited an independent opticians within his Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency to find out why regular sight tests are important for the prevention of blindness.

During his visit to Page & Smith Opticians, Mr Jones also met with representatives of the North Yorkshire Local Optical Committee and learnt about the greater role that local practices across North Yorkshire are playing in delivering eye care above and beyond the standard sight test.

Reflecting on the visit, optometrist and owner of Page & Smith, Sarah Smith, said: “It was great to meet Andrew and talk about our work as optometrists and opticians. We are an underused resource in the NHS and many additional services can, and should, be delivered in practices like this one. This would help reduce pressure on NHS budgets and reduce attendance at A&E, GP surgeries and hospital eye departments.”

MP Mr Jones added: “I have done a lot of work with Guide Dogs locally and nationally and I know from that just how important it is that we look after our eyesight. This visit really hammered home the important message – regular checks and early intervention mean that problems that may cause blindness later in life are identified and dealt with before they have a chance to damage your eyesight.”